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A Mother-in-law Not Even of Clay is Good: Sfuegra ni de baro es buena …

2012; Routledge; Volume: 123; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/0015587x.2012.682470

1469-8315

Isaac Lévy, Rosemary Lévy Zumwalt,

Hispanic-African Historical Relations

Abstract This article examines the place of the mother-in-law in Sephardic folklore. From proverbs to narratives, to popular songs, the folklore has a singular message: that the kinship relationship between the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law is poisonous. The authors conducted fieldwork among the Sephardim of the historic Ottoman Empire, Israel and the United States. Notes [1] Due to the variance in pronunciation according to the geographical origins of the Sephardim we interviewed, the term mother-in-law is also rendered esuegra, esfuegra, eshuegra, kosuegra, konsuegra; and the term daughter-in-law is rendered almuera, elmuera, ermuera, ilmuera. The Judeo-Spanish orthography differs from modern Spanish. [2] The authors are grateful to the anonymous referee of the article for suggesting emphasis of the differing points of view of the folklore texts. [3] See Lévy and Zumwalt (Citation2002) for a detailed discussion of the Sephardim of the Ottoman Empire, which encompassed the Balkans, the Dodecanese Islands, Turkey, and the other lands to which the Sephardim emigrated. The historical period for this work spans the years between the 1800s and World War II. While our focus is on the Sephardim, there is a mélange of cultural practices that blends elements from Spain and Portugal with those from the Ottoman Turks and the Orthodox Christians. And, of course, with the religious tie of Judaism, there is a link between the Sephardic cultural practices and the Ashkenazim as can be seen in Trachtenberg's seminal work on Jewish folk religion (Trachtenberg Citation1939). [4] The authors thank the anonymous referee for the artful expression of the seemingly contradictory acceptance of the norm and rebellion against it. [5] Lévy (Citation1989, 46–7). Translated by Isaac Jack Lévy. [6] This is the annotated English language edition, translated by Alfred A. Zara and edited by Robert Bedford, of Michael Molho's classic work Usos y costumbres de los sefardíes de salónica (Molho Citation1950). [7] Molho (Citation1950, 21). Translated by Isaac Jack Lévy. [8] Beatriz Gómez Acuña (Citation2002, 184) elaborates on Mariscal de Rhett's proposition that the ballad is a woman's genre. [9] Isaac Jack Lévy (Citation1959, 37). Translation by Isaac Jack Lévy. [10] Isaac Jack Lévy (Citation1959, 38). Translation by Isaac Jack Lévy. [11] Isaac Jack Lévy (1959, 38). Translation by Isaac Jack Lévy. [12] Isaac Jack Lévy (1959, 38). Translation by Isaac Jack Lévy. [13] This ballad was collected from our mother, Caden Lévy Israel (Isaac Jack Lévy Citation1959, 37–8). For other versions, see Isaac Jack Lévy (Citation1959, 38–41). [14] Isaac Jack Lévy (Citation1959, 37–8). [15] Recorded in the 1960s in Atlanta, Georgia from our mother. For another version, La nueva familia de la novia [The New Family of the Bride], collected in Rhodes in 1932, see Hemsi (Citation1995, 300–1). For permission from her parents by the financée to join her husband, see La despedida de la novia [The Leave-Taking of the New Bride], in Hemsi (Citation1995, 282). [16] Molho (Citation1950, 44). [17] The title of “Senyor” and “Senyora” is not only translated as “Mr” and “Mrs” but also served as an honorary title given to parents, uncles, older people, and prestigious and esteemed individuals; for example, a priest, “Senyor Padre,” and a professor,“Senyor profesor.” It is also used when referring to God, “Senyor del Mundo.” [18] In the song La despedida de la novia [The Leave-Taking of the Bride] (Hemsi Citation1995, 282), we find the line “escasealde el vaso.” Although “escasear” means “to give sparingly and grudgingly,” we believe, as did Galanté (Citation1937, 136–7), that in this situation the proper verb should be “escanciar” “to fill/pour,” thus “to fill the glass.” Galanté explains that this song is sung “when the daughter is about to leave the house of her parents in order to go to the house of her husband” (Citation1937, 136–7). She is instructed to behave properly, “to set the table and serve his wine” (translated by Isaac Jack Lévy). [19] Our grandmother, Sarota Musafir, sang this song. [20] Collected from our grandmother, Sarota Musafir, in Columbia, South Carolina, in fall 1960. Translated by Isaac Jack Lévy. For additional versions see Galanté (Citation1935, 138–9), Hemsi (Citation1987, x and 6–10) and Refael (Citation2003, 161–76; in Hebrew, 168–9). [21] We collected this song in Istanbul at the Old Age Home during our visit in the 1980s. Translated by Isaac Jack Lévy. [22] Collected from our mother, Caden Lévy Israel, in Columbia, South Carolina, in fall 1960. Translated by Isaac Jack Lévy. [23] Isaac Levy (Citation1970, vol. 2, 39). Translated by Isaac Jack Lévy. This song was collected in Turkey by the ethnomusicologist Isaac Levy, from Jerusalem. For the music, see Isaac Levy (Citation1970, vol. 2, 37–9). On 16 August 2006, Eliz Gatenyo from Istanbul, Turkey sent Isaac Jack Lévy the only two stanzas that she remembered; Suzana, Eliz grandmother's maid used to sing this while she was working. [24] Some versions use the verb “takilear” instead of the Turkish “dakilear,” for “to tease,” “to taunt.” We would like to thank the following individuals for their kindness in responding to our request for information concerning this song: Lilian Benveniste (Argentina), Joseph Calderon (Israel), Sam Hassid (Israel), Rivka Havassy (Israel), Matilda Koen-Sarano (Israel), and Edwin Seroussi (Israel). Matilda Koen-Sarano's version of this song also appeared in Koen-Sarano (Citation1993, 112). [25] The following version of Stanza II appears in Isaac Levy (Citation1959, 61; translation by Isaac Jack Lévy): [26] “Ilo di tikia” means “A thread, thin, as one consumed by tuberculosis.” [27] Isaac Levy (Citation1959, 61). Translated by Isaac Jack Lévy. The author published only four stanzas as well as the following musical annotations. [28] Refael (Citation2003, 174). Translated by Isaac Jack Lévy. [29] We are grateful to Rivka Hanassy of Bar-Ilan University for sending us this copy. Translation by Isaac Jack Lévy. The anonymous author says that the melody is derived from the well-known song ′EIWΛI EPQTEϒMENOΣ ME TA MATIA ΣOϒ [I am Captivated by Your Eyes], perhaps a not very fitting title, but certainly an ironic one! [30] Isaac Levy (Citation1959, 28). See also in Refael (Citation2003, 175). [31] The story was told to Isaac in Judeo-Spanish by our mother, Caden Lévy Israel, in January 1965: Una ilmuera nu la kiria a la esfuegra bien i li avlava mal a una otra vizina. Esta vizina nu tinia sfuegra i eya para ver dizia, “Todas tienen sfuegras i yo ki nu tenga [una]? Tomu barru i izo una sfuegra i la mitio en un kanton. Kuando pasava, kaminava, si dava en eya. La kitava di esti lugar, la metia en otro. Pasava por ay i por ay si dava. A la fin sinyervo, tomo i la icho al rio. Kuandu la icho al rio la arena la sarpiko i la embatako entera di lodu i a la fin dize, Esfuegra ni di barru es buena. Mizmo ki la ichi al rio, yene mi izo danyu. Mizmo ki la ichi a la mar, yene mi izo mal.” Esto kijo dizir ki dingunos keren a las esfuegras. [32] Haboucha follows the Aarne and Thompson (AT) tale types and their numbers (Aarne and Thompson 1987). She denotes the Judeo-Spanish tale types with two asterisks preceding the number, **903C, which is Not even in Pictures. See Aarne and Thompson, AT 903C*, Mother-in-law and Daughter-in-law. The bad mother-in-law who lets her daughter-in-law be hungry is punished (reformed). [33] Haboucha is citing Gina Camhy's “Suegra ni de barro buena” [Mother-in-law not even of Clay is Good], in Camhy (Citation1955, 390). [34] According to Cantera, the proverb was located in the works of Pérez de Guzmán (1256–1309), “La suegra, ni de azúcar buena” [“The mother-in-law, not even of sugar is good“], and Gonzalo Correas (1571–1631), “Suegra, ninguna buena: hícela de azúcar, y amargóme, hícela de barro, y descalabróme” [“Mother-in-law, none of them are good: I made her of sugar, and she embittered me, I made her of clay, she hit me in the head”] (Cantera Ortiz de Urbana Citation1997, 154). [35] AT 903C* Mother-in-law and Daughter-in-law. The Judeo-Spanish version is as follows: Una elmuera. despues de anyos de kazada, dezeava ke la esfuegra la tratara komo su propria ija. Ma no avia hal de esto. A la ija le dava de lo mejor en la vida, le kuzia ropas a las mil maraviyas, la vijita dia i noche, le azia de komer komidas para un rey, i a la provi de la elmuera ni una piska de lo ke azia. Un dia, el ijo, kerensiozo kon la madre, le rogo ke iziera una kuzika para la mujer. “‘Madre,’ le dizia, ‘dale un shekeriko.’” Keria o no, para moadin le trisho una tavla de masapan. La alegria de la elmuera de ver la tavla no se puede imajinar. Por la noche, despues de la sena, tomo un masapan al meterlo en la boka le vino amargo komo la fiel. La povereta de la elmuera mira a su marido i le dize, “Lo amargo no se aze dulse,” mas ke keramos, “La esfuegra, ni de asukar es buena.” Yo le demandi kerensia i eya me dio dolor. [36] The following story was told in Judeo-Spanish to Isaac by our mother, Caden Lévy Israel, in Columbia, January 1965: Avia una ilmuera ki nu keria a la sfuegra. Un dia la sfuegra si alvanto i tomo a tustar alvianas en il orno. Para ver si estavan bien tustadas mitio una in la boka. I la povereta komo nu pudia komer, la yevava di una parte a otra. A la tadri kuandu vino il ijo li dimanda a su mujer, “I mi madre ki ista aziendo?” Dize la ilmuera pur la sfuegra, “Dia intero ’sta kumiendu i mashkandu.” Kuandu il ijo li dimanda, “Mama ki komis?” Li rispondi la madre, “Ijo mio,” disho, “nu tengo dientis. Di dimanyana ki meti una alviana a la boka, la yevo di una parti a otra i no la puedo komer.” I esto es lu ki la disgrasiada esfuegra esta kumiendo i l'almuera nu la pudia ver, nu la keria bien. I esto es una prova ki “Una madri ez para mil ijos i mil ijos para una madri no.” [37] The Judeo-Spanish text of the tale is as follows: Un viejo bivia kon su ijo i su ‘lmuera. Esta mujer no podia ver al esfuegro. Esta mujer no podia ver al esfuegro. Siempre lo tratava mal, le dava a komer en un kanton de la kuzina, i le avlava komo si el provi padre fuera un azno. Al marido le tuyiva muncho komo su mujer mirava al padre, ma no dizia nada por estar espantado de eya.Un dia, kuando el ijo i su mujer vinieron a kaza vieron al ijiko sentado en una bankita kon un kuchiyo en mano kurtando un pedaso de tavla. Le demandaron, “Kualo estas aziendo?” El chiko les respondio, “Esto aziendo un piron i una kuchara para kuando vos agash viejos.” El padre le dize, “Porke azis esto?” Responde el chiko, “Yo vos kero muncho i por esto esto preparando el piron i la kuchara para kuando vos aresh viejos. Kero ke tengash lo mizmo ke tiene el papu.” Es entonses k'el marido mira derecho a la mujer en la kara i kon nyervos le dize, “Mira lo ke estas aziendo. Muestro futuro sera komo el de mi padre.” Desde akel dia, la vida del viejo troko komo si fuera un milagro. Desde akel momento lo tratavan komo un balabay. Lo sentavan a la kavesera de la mesa, le davan lo mejor de komer.